KAL annual meeting held recently, celebrates successes, honors volunteers

SUBMITTED BY DR. CAROLYN SPENCE CAGLE, KAL Publicity Chair

The Kimberling Area Library Association (KALA), a privately owned, nonprofit organization, solely funded by grants, donations, optional memberships and totally volunteer staff, recently held its annual meeting at the library.

Approximately 40 KALA members and staff attended the annual meeting to celebrate the year’s successes and opportunities for the coming year.

According to Yvette Ayres, KALA Board of Directors (BOD) President leading the meeting, the Kimberling Area Library (KAL) continues to meet its mission of “improving the quality of life in the area by providing access to books, other media, information services and special programs for the education and recreation of residents and visitors of all ages and interests.” Yvette led audience applause for three library retirees, including Dr. Ella Jones (children’s librarian/children’s bookshelf reader), Judy Anderson (KAL Bookmark/substitute supervisor), and Judy Barnes (BOD Treasurer). These people added to the leadership legacy of one of the original KAL leaders, Betty Davis, to support library goals and a vision for volunteer work to improve the local community.

Over the past year, KAL gained 522 new library cardholders, and item check-outs numbered almost 38,000. Thirteen percent and 43% of that number were children’s checkouts and electronic items, respectively. The current library collection includes CDs, Blue-ray discs, CVDs, large print, regular print fiction, and nonfiction books (both hardback and paperback) and e-books. A special Ozarks collection continues to intrigue many current community patrons. Recent acquisitions of Wonderbooks (print book with a ready-to-play audio book inside), funded by a Table Rock Community Foundation, numbered 109 with checkouts of 255 in the past year.

Led by a nine-member board of directors, Yvette shared the past year’s accomplishments and attendees applauded volunteers who met the library mission, including:

●      Offering 11 free Learning on Wednesday (LOW) monthly informal sessions led by local speakers on diverse topics for community engagement and learning (Sue Munson/Carolyn Spence Cagle)

●      Hosting seven Master Gardener sessions, as part of University of Missouri-Extension, to educate interested gardeners on many topics and leading local Master Gardeners who beautified the KAL Children’s and Sound Garden (Kathryn Kufahl/Joanne Anderson)

●      Improving KAL infrastructure: HVAC, security and access to the KAL Children’s Sound Garden behind KAL (Rick Cagle and the All-Stars)

●      Coordinating local fundraisers, including the October book sale (Donna Ninemire) Quilt Day at the Library (Yvette Ayres), and Amazon rare book sales (Elna McDonald).

●      Securing grant submissions to support library operations: KALA grant from Neighbors and Friends of Table Rock Lake to purchase Apollo software for library system management

●      Implementing a structured recruiting and training process for new library volunteers (Arden and Sue Munson)

●      Shared by Abby Everett, Children’s Librarian, planning a 2024 weekly (June 10 – July 15) summer “Color My World,” national reading themed program for young children focusing on art, diversity and creativity in reading. This program will build on a most successful spring 2025 Monday reading program for various age groups (Abby Everett/Karen Murray/Abbey Ayres)

●      Coordinating material donations for the annual fall KAL book sale (Donna Ninemire/Sheila Boyle/Dee Veeder).

●      Led by Sharon Clarke, Operations Manager, honoring volunteers serving KAL for multiple volunteer years (5 years = Laurette Magellas; 20 years = Erv Kufahl/Al Hailey), (30 years = Dee Veeder/Marj Johnson/Judy Anderson).

Yvette also announced three new KALA BOD members who will serve three-year terms starting at the July 2025 BOD meeting. These include Linda Bornheimer, Colleen Pierson and Sharon Clarke. Attendees applauded retiring BOD members Roberta Hauck, Shelba Woday and Judy Barnes for their KAL contributions focused on improving community literacy.

Yvette surprised two library volunteers believed by the KALA BOD to significantly contribute to library operations in the past year. Rosemary Maresh (structuring a shelf reading process that continues today) and Carolyn Spence Cagle (supervisor, LOW leader, and publicity contact) each received Volunteer of the Year awards. Luncheon attendees celebrated both volunteers and KALA accomplishments for the year before a catered luncheon.

Yvette concluded the meeting by acknowledging 16-plus major library supporters who have deeply contributed to ensuring accessible, diverse and fitting books to meet patron learning needs and the KAL mission that focuses on “Reading: A Habit Worth Keeping.” Volunteers are happy to help people with evidence of living within 25 miles of Kimberling City to obtain a free KAL card.